Rasa Zarnegar, MD

Biography

Dr. Rasa Zarnegar is an Associate Professor of Surgery (Endocrine/Minimally Invasive Surgery) at Weill Cornell Medical College and an Associate Attending Surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. In 2012, 2013 and 2014, Dr. Zarnegar was recognized by Castle Connolly as one of the region's "Best Doctors." He was also named by New York Magazine in 2014 as one of New York's "Best Doctors."

Dr. Zarnegar's primary clinical interests include thyroid/parathyroid/adrenal and GI neuroendocrine disease as well as benign and malignant foregut disease. He has focused on minimally invasive approaches for the management of these disorders and has been involved in the development of techniques to minimize scars through single incision surgery.

He is widely published in these fields and has continued to be interested in minimizing incision length, improving cosmetic and recovery to improve quality of life without compromise of operative technique. He has pioneered techniques in single incision foregut surgery and laparoscopic surgery further improving operative technique for reduced scar formation and postoperative pain. He has presented his work on single incision surgery nationally and internationally. In the realm of reflux and foregut surgery he is directing the motility center at Weill Cornell and provides a multidisciplinary approach to the management of reflux, esophageal, and gastric dysmotility.

During his time at Weill Cornell he has gained expertise in robotic surgery and performs over a 150 robotic procedures a year. Using this technique he is able to perform complex surgery for benign and malignant gastric and esophageal conditions. He has also performed reoperative surgery using this technique and avoided the need for open surgery reducing patients hospitalization and time to return to their regular activity.

Dr. Zarnegar completed medical school training in General Surgery at Case Western Reserve University. After his residency he went on to complete two fellowships in Endocrine Surgery, and minimally invasive foregut surgery at the University of California, San Francisco. During residency and fellowship Dr. Zarnegar developed an interest in the science of tumor redifferentiation and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship using poorly differentiated thyroid cancer as a model. He is widely published in the field of Cancer and Surgery with over 50 peer reviewed articles and 5 book chapters. He has presented his research at numerous national and international meetings.

Area of Expertise

Endocrine Surgery

Robotic Surgery

Parathyroid Surgery

Thyroid Surgery

Pancreatic Cancer

Thyroid Cancer

Laparoscopic Gallbladder Surgery

Hyperparathyroidism

Adrenal Laparoscopic Surgery

Esophageal Surgery

Gastroesophageal Reflux Surgery

Endocrine Cancer

Surgery, Gastrointestinal

pH Monitoring for GERD

Nissen Fundoplication

Esophageal Manometry

Achalasia

Reflux Surgery

Laparoscopic Surgery

Surgery, Endocrine

Swallowing Disorders

Gastric Cancers

Adrenal Disorders

Minimally Invasive Parathyroid Surg

Laparoscopic GI Surgery

Esophageal Disorders

Pheochromocytoma

Cushing's Syndrome

Biliary Disease

Esophageal Disease

Gastroesophageal Reflux

Parathyroid Disease

Gallbladder Surgery

Spleen Surgery

Hepatobiliary Surgery

Endocrine Tumor

Minimally Invasive Surgery

Please contact the doctor's office to verify that your insurance is accepted.

Aetna [HMO, PPO]

Aetna [HMO, PPO]

Aetna [HMO, PPO]

Aetna [Weill Cornell Employee Plan]

Affinity [Access (Exchange)]

Affinity [HMO]

Cigna

Emblem Select Care

Emblem/HIP [HMO]

Emblem/HIP [HMO]

Emblem/HIP [HMO]

Emblem/HIP [HMO]

Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield [EPO, HMO, PPO]

Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield [EPO, HMO, PPO]

Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield [EPO, HMO, PPO]

Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield [EPO, HMO, PPO]

Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield [EPO, HMO, PPO]

Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield HealthPlus

Fidelis Care

GHI [CBP]

Healthfirst

Medicaid

Medicare

Oxford Health Plans [Freedom, Liberty]

Oxford Health Plans [Freedom, Liberty]

Oxford Health Plans [Freedom, Liberty]

Oxford Health Plans [Metro/Core/Charter (HMO)]

POMCO

Rockefeller University - CoreSource

United Empire

UnitedHealthcare [Compass (Exchange), EPO, HMO, POS, PPO]

UnitedHealthcare [Compass (Exchange), EPO, HMO, POS, PPO]

UnitedHealthcare [Compass (Exchange), EPO, HMO, POS, PPO]

UnitedHealthcare [Compass (Exchange), EPO, HMO, POS, PPO]

UnitedHealthcare [Compass (Exchange), EPO, HMO, POS, PPO]

UnitedHealthcare [Compass (Exchange), EPO, HMO, POS, PPO]

UnitedHealthcare [Compass (Exchange), EPO, HMO, POS, PPO]

VNSNY CHOICE

Education

1999 Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Residency: 2003 Mount Sinai Medical Center

Residency: 2005 University Hospital of Cleveland

Fellowship: 2006 Mount Zion Medical Center

Fellowship: 2007 University of California San Francisco Medical Center